Alder’s median age is 57.8 years, against 38.9 years in Montana’s towns and 40.5 years across U.S. towns. Among 43 Montana towns, just 2 have a lower median household income than Alder. Alder has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

92 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns

Virginia City · 9 mi Sheridan · 10 mi Ennis · 18 mi Twin Bridges · 19 mi

Getting set up

Moving to Alder: who provides what

Alder is unincorporated, so Madison County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerNorthWestern Energy14.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

Internet3 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & county servicesMadison CountyMadison County provides services here

SchoolsSheridan High School District Alder Elementary School District2 districts serve Alder; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES

Register to voteIn personMontana has no online registration; you can register in person up to and including Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereMadison County Election AdministratorMadison County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2021

ZIP codes59710, 5974959710 95% · 59749 5%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Alder.

Climate

Alder has snowy winters and pleasant summers

Alder has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. At 83°F, Alder’s July high is close to Montana’s towns (85°F) and below U.S. towns (85°F).

65″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter12–35°

Spring28–55°

Summer44–80°

Fall28–58°

Sep 18

typical first frost

Jun 4

typical last frost

+1.4°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageAlder’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 83°, January lows 12°Rain & snow65″ of snow a winter · 12 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.4° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Schools

The schools Alder’s kids attend

Its public schools are run by the Alder Elementary District. Its one school is below.

School	Level	Students	Letter
Alder SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8	Grades PK–8	11	–

Full pageAlder’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsAlder Elem Every school1 school · Alder School Questions“Are Alder’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts

Health

Alder stands out in Montana and nationally: a smaller share of its adults have been diagnosed with depression

21% of Alder adults have been diagnosed with depression. Alder beats the Montana average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 37% of Alder adults have high blood pressure.

	Alder	Montana towns	U.S. towns
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)	27%	31%	33%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)	21%	20%	16%
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)	30%	32%	36%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)	15%	18%	17%

32 measures vs. Montana

2 better28 too close to call2 worse

What stands out	Alder	MT
More adults screened for colon cancer	70.8%	63.8%
More adults getting cholesterol checked	87.4%	82.5%
More adults with high blood pressure	37.3%	31.9%

Ruby Valley Medical Center

9.9 mi away · emergency room

1 of 3

care shortages: mental health

Full pageAlder’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby9.9 miles to an ER · Ruby Valley Medical Center How adults are doingFewer adults in frequent mental distress Every CDC estimateBetter than MT on 2 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Natural hazards

Moderate risk in Alder, with avalanches at the top

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 53% of U.S. communities.

53risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

AvalanchesInland floodingEarthquakes

Full pageAlder’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesModerate risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters5 disaster declarations · Declared for the county Get ready0.4 events a year, on average · Ready for avalanches

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Alder

16pages on Alder

The big questions

Schools1 school HealthBetter than MT on 2 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingWork & commute$43K median household income Natural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 53% of U.S. communities · avalanches

Out and about

PlacesAttractions12 nearby · Yellowstone Club 33 mi LibraryThompson-Hickman Madison County Library Colleges

The story

HistorySettled 1902 Climate83° summer highs · 65″ of snow

Day to day

NewsWeatherHandbookZIP code 59710 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Alder; the nearest are

The University of Montana-WesternUniversity or college · Public · Dillon26.9 mi$6,670 in-state tuition Highlands College of Montana TechCommunity college · Public · Butte46.8 mi$4,130 in-state tuition

About 0 of every 100 Alder residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Montana.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

About Alder

Census-designated place in Montana, United States

Alder is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Madison County, Montana, United States. The population was 86 at the 2020 census, down from 103 in 2010. The community takes its name from Alder Creek (named by Henry Edgar in 1863), the site of the second major gold discovery in Montana.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area: 2.0 sq mi
Elevation: 5,121 ft
ZIP code: 59710
Area code: 406

Questions about Alder

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Alder, MT a good place to live?

Alder has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

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